Sunday, August 7, 2016

Nepal improves ICT ranking

Nepal has improved its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ranking to 118 out of 139 countries with a score of 3.2, according to the Global Information Technology Report 2016 launched recently by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Of the 10 pillars under 4 sub-indices, Nepal fared better in affordability but worst in economic impact and infrastructure. Nepal ranked 110th with the score of 3.5 in the Environment sub-index and pillars that includes political and regulatory environment (at 114 with 3.2 score) and business and innovation environment (at 99 with 3.9 score), whereas the country ranked is in 106th position in Readiness sub-index and pillar with 3.9 score that includes infrastructure (at 130 with 1.9 score), affordability (at 30 with 6.1 score) and skills (at 115 with a score of 3.6).
Likewise, Nepal ranked 129th with a score of 2.6 in the Usage sub-index and pillars that includes individual usage (at 117 with a score of 2.2), business usage (at 128 with a score of 3) and government usage (at 129 with a score of 2.7).
The survey asked questions for responses on a scale of 1 to 7, where 1 was the worst possible outcome and 7 is the best, according to a press note issued by the World Economic Forum.
Similarly, in Impact sub-index and pillars, Nepal ranked 128 with a score of 2.7 that includes economic impacts (at 136 with a score of 2.3) and social impacts (at 120 with a score of 3.1).
Likewise, in the availability of latest technology, Nepal is in 125th position out of 143 countries. However the country is ranked 35th in total tax rate pillar, 82nd in intensity of local competition and 114th in secure internet server.
Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Israel, Singapore, the Netherlands and the United States are the world leaders when it comes to generating economic impact from investments in information and communications technologies (ICT), according to the report. On average, this group of high-achieving economies at the pinnacle of the report's Networked Readiness Index (NRI) economic impact pillar score 33 percent higher than other advanced economies and 100 percent more than emerging and developing economies. These seven countries are all known for being early and enthusiastic adopters of ICT and their emergence is significant as it demonstrates that adoption of ICTs – coupled with a supportive enabling environment characterised by sound regulation, quality infrastructure and ready skills supply among other factors – can pave the way to wider benefits, the report added.
In prepaid mobile cellular tariffs – that is average per-minute cost of different types of mobile cellular calls (PPP $) – Nepal is ranked 15 in world and 5 in South Asia, and in fixed broadband Internet tariffs that is monthly subscription charge for fixed (wired) broadband Internet service (PPP $), Nepal ranks 29.
Likewise, Nepal is ranked at 109th position in Internet and telephony sectors competition index – that that is level of competition index for Internet services, international long distance services, and mobile telephone services on a 0-to-2 (best) scale – with a score of 1.29.
Under households with a personal computer Nepal ranked 119 among the 139 countries, whereas the country is in 127th position in households with Internet access.